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Comments
2018 430i Gran Coupe
I think they make some decent cars - but all experiences I've had with their dealers have been miserable.
Actually, having two vehicles again does not necessarily appeal. Plus, aside from being (significantly) faster than my TLX, not sure if that would be enough for me to pull the trigger as I'd have two similar type of vehicles.
To show you how determined I am at not buying, I'm leaving my checkbook at home.
Some years ago, I road tested an experimental EV--it was actually more of a conversion, and the range wasn't much more than an early Leaf. But what I liked about the car was two things that a modern EV doesn't have: 1) a manual transmission and 2) the conversion was done on a stylish car.
What @driver100 describes here, since he was moving at the speed limit, isn't so much zipper merge as a late dive-bomb.
a honest perspective. Whether it's a performance car or a rental, I understand their likes
and the reviews are interesting.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Made a down payment of $4000 on that to hold a car...and got my air miles!
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Here's one of several MBworld discussions about the topic. They exist. And not just in GM's world or Cadillac's world..
https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w205/630899-anyone-familiar-lemon-law-buyback-mercedes-corporate-but-have-questions.html
https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/302125-thoughts-buying-lemon-law-buyback.html
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
The Sandman/Driving Fool
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Though smart of MB I guess to take them back without a fight, so they never get branded as a lemon buy-back. They just consider it a courtesy repurchase (goodwill) so clean title to resell.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
So, just got back from the test drive. Got an issue in our office in Japan that I have to get on. Will write up impressions later.
I will say this.....it’s a helluva car!
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Back at ya Imid
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Most current transmissions are reluctant to downshift, so the car just slows down.
The 2019s seem to be a lot larger...if the 2016 is any indication the 19 must be really nice.
Stick, I think what you said about Mercedes taking cars back sounds very possible....keeps the whole thing undercover, and they aren't stigmatized with trying to sell off a lemon. It probably isn't a good idea to have a bad reputation with the lemon judges.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Also, while I'm on the subject, I recently drove a brand new car which was still in "shipping mode". It had no odometer reading on the dash at all. It made me wonder if such a car could be driven by the dealership indefinitely without clocking any miles or whether the car's computer logged the miles and they would appear in full once the shipping mode was discontinued.
Any of you dealer guys know about this?
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
The only real experience I've had with a dual clutch transmission was in the 2013 Passat TDI. And the only problems I had were not with "creeping" but with "on and off again". Traffic stops, then moves. You press the throttle, move forward 50 feet, the car in front of you stops, you let off the throttle and coast. The car in front of you starts moving again, you press the throttle again (never having come to a complete stop). The transmission has some kind of nervous breakdown, jumps and pitches like a rookie driver trying to handle a clutch for the first time.
jmonroe
'18 Legacy Limited with 3.6R (Mrs. j's)
The DCT is basically a stick shift. You are not supposed to creep along, which is analogous to slipping or riding the clutch in traffic. They recommend you let traffic move so when you go, it can get fully into gear. Just does not like moving at basically idle. Especially on an uphill, which is really supposed to be avoided, since it is the clutches slipping doing the work. So, just like driving a stick!
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Maybe I've missed something.
Mostly I think everyone on here is drinking everyone else's bathwater.
I know someone who's parents had to lemon law an early SLK back in the day. After they put the legal wheels in motion, MB took it with nary a fight.
I'd wager a fortune that most low mileage MBs sitting on lots out there are retired loaners and rentals. Most large MB dealers have a fleet of C loaners, and I think at least a few rental fleets have the C, and other similar MSRP models.
Alex on Autos really likes the KIA Stinger GT2 with an msrp of c.$50k.
The newer Focuses are very common for their lousy transmission issues. Out of 3 Focuses we took in on trade in the past 4 months, 2 of them had bad trannies. One failed when I was about to take a customer's car for an appraisal. It wouldn't go in reverse. Customer was wondering if I broke his car because he drove it in to our dealership without issues apparently. I said, sir I didn't even get a chance to back it out of the parking stall. It didn't help that it had a rebuilt status too and was banged up everywhere.
I also ran into bad tranny Focuses at the previous dealer I managed (used car lot). I try to avoid them like the plague or send them straight to auction whether the tranny is good or bad (we do declare a bad tranny if that's the case).
And regarding the S Classes, in 2015 I was helping a dealer friend market a nearly new S65 AMG they had on consignment from a student who was moving back to China. This thing was mind blowing in terms of the options, including a rear fridge and individual seating in the rear (2 fully reclining bucket seats seperated by a huge centre console.
Photos of the actual car:
So I called up a friend who worked at Mercedes if they were interested in purchasing it. He declined saying that most people who buy these will order their own and spec it out to their own tastes rather than trying to save a few grand buying a used one. On top of that he said the S65's are not huge sellers compared to S63's because the price premium over an S63 was something like $80k ($170k vs $250k CDN) but the V12 engine in the S65 didn't have signiifcant performance gains to justify the extra cost, even for those that could afford it.
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
It is like our new digital cable box. Before you could buy one somewhere else or buy one. Now you have to rent one from Spectrum (I guess Charter had such a bad reputation had to change the name to Spectrum) and once you hook it up you phone them and they turn on the signal...so they are in complete control. And, now they can charge an extra $8 a month. I am waiting for the day when there will be wireless cable and internet.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
I'm not sure either but I only take showers.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Anyway, about the Stinger....walking into the Kia store, while not the snake pit some have experienced, it was populated by young kids (can I call mid 20-30 somethings kids?) who were either new to the business, or in the case of the sales manager, recently promoted. I’ve bought enough cars that I don’t have any issues with either. I just prefer working with more “seasoned” sales people as they won’t waste my time, because doing so wastes theirs.
The dealership is one I pass frequently and is right next store to my “old friends”, the Cadillac Dealership....owned by the same person.
Anyway, my young sales guy, Chris, had been there 3 months. Nice enough kid, said he just got out of the Army (which he joined straight out of high school). Guessing he was early 20s.
He was nice enough. I could tell he’s still rather green....”you buying today? Any trade? What do you want your payments to be?”, etc. I explained I was just kicking tires and more curious than anything else. He followed that up with the old trial close....”if we can make you great offer would you buy tonight?” Me....”nope...but, you never know if I may decide sometime in the future I want to buy a Kia, and I’d look you (Chris) up.”
They had a Stinger in the showroom, but it was a 2.0T (Premium, I think was the model). Sat in it (with Chris close at hand, just kind of wandering around keeping a watchful eye on me). The pics I’d seen do not do these cars justice. They’re much better looking, inside and out, in person.
Unfortunately, it was black on black, and had obviously been on the lot for a while as it had little scratches on it where people probably sat on it with pants/jeans that had metal adornments.
I’ll have some pics in a moment.
I bet he lost his shirt on the car, but when daddy's bank account is like Scrooge McDuck's vault, it's like you or I losing a quarter.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
I think many in upper exec or legal team roles don't have much long term vision or self-awareness, and don't realize the damage done when they mess with a customer with a legitimately defective product. It's all about short term balance sheets.
I did like the wheels, however.
Interior, seats were leather (not bad, but not as nice as my TLX). But, the seats were comfortable. It sits much lower than my TLX, which might be an issue for some to get in and out of. I didn’t have any issues, though.
Top part of the dash had the “faux” stitching. And, while the lower half of the dash area was hard plastic, the top areas were soft, padded material. But, that’s nit picking. Controls were solid feeling.....about as good as what’s in my TLX (which is a very good thing). Didn’t like the shiny plastic covering for the center console.......that’s a finger print magnet that would look trashy in pretty short order.
Adjusting the seat for me, I had plenty of room, but it did feel slightly more cramped than in my TLX....surprising for such a big car. Back seat room was good, too.
Hatch is enormous, but a bit shallow. You’d have to remove the hatch cover to put anything relatively tall back there. While it did not have the “wave your foot under the car” hatch opener, it did go all the way up when pushing the open button. Plus, it had an automatic close feature, too.
All-in-all, a very nice interior that was very well made. Yeah....there were a few areas of cost cutting in minor areas, but overall, it could hold up against my TLX, a C Class, a 3 Series, ES (probably GS would be better comparison given the size of the car) or Q50.
I was getting ready to leave, when Chris asked if I wanted to drive one. I told him probably not, as I’d be more interested in the GT twin turbo version. He said the dealership was slow (it was....I was the only customer aside from a couple seemingly trying to get financed.....didn’t sound like it was going well, either). He had a GT2 (V6 TT) ready for a test drive if I wanted.
Sure....I’ll take you up on your offer.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Then, they had this one, which was ready to go.....